Shofuso moon-viewing, GayBINGO, North Front Street Festival and more this weekend

This Friday lands on both the 13th and a Harvest Moon? I’m not superstitious (I'm only a little ‘stitious’) but I can tell you that there’s magic happening in the city this weekend. Shofuso is hosting a moon-viewing party, Uncle Bobbies is screening a must-see documentary, mogwai take over Laurel Hill Cemetery, GayBINGO is back, and poetry from diasporic voices come to the Free Library. The energy will be fierce in Philly—a great segue into the final official week-ish of summer.

Moon-viewing at Shofuso

Philadelphia is getting its own traditional Otsukimi Festival this weekend: a festival that celebrates the harvest moon. With the first harvest moon in 20 years, the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Farimount Park is hosting two Otsukimi events in addition to their moon viewing party on Friday, September 13 at 7pm: A high-end cocktail party happens Friday from 7-9pm, and the Otsukimi Family Weekend will be held on both September 14-15 from 11am-5pm.

Uncle Bobbie's Friday Night screening

Uncle Bobbie's Friday Night Film series is screening Detroit: 48202: Conversations Along A Postal Route. Director Pamela Sporn will be in attendance for a talkback after the free screening. Detroit 48202 is a feature documentary that examines the rise, demise, and contested resurgence of Detroit through the lens of African American mail carrier Wendell Watkins and the residents he has faithfully served for 30 years. Check out the film on Friday, September 13 at 7pm, 5445 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia.

Gremlins at Laurel Hill

No, there won’t actually be mogwai lurking at the Laurel Hill Cemetery (or I don’t think so), but there will be a screening of the '80s classic Gremlins. With the harvest moon watching from above, catch the film at 8pm, and pick up tickets online. There will be no feedings after midnight.

AIDS Fund’s GayBINGO is back

GayBINGO has returned for its 24th season, raising emergency funds for those living with HIV and serving up campy and irreverent experiences for its audiences. Hosted by the Bingo Verifying Divas, come out to celebrate with a new theme each month starting Saturday, September 14 at 6pm at Rodeph Shalom, 615 North Broad Street. Costumes, comedy, prizes, and drag are in abundance with this weekend’s debut. Tickets are $36 for reserved seating, visit online or call (215) 731-9255 for more information.

Diasporic poetry

On Saturday, September 14 at 7pm, the Parkway Central Library branch is hosting Home on Our Back: A Laureates’ Reading on the Poetics of Diaspora, a poetry collaboration between Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola and Philadelphia Poet Laureate Raquel Salas Rivera, which explores how migrations have shaped both East Coast cities. They’ve invited six poets, three from each city, to write from and to their cities and their histories of migrations. RSVP online.

North Front Street Festival

Art Star is teaming up with Fishtown Co., Farm to City, The International Bar, HoneyGrow, and Evil Genius for a day of handmade crafts, fresh produce, and live music on Sunday, September 15. From 10am-5pm, the North Front Street Festival will include more than 30 curated arts and crafts vendors, a farmer’s market (with SNAP cards accepted for eligible products), food trucks, breakfast from HoneyGrow, and beers and cocktails from Evil Genius. The event is free to attend, and stretches from the 1700 block of North Front Street (Cecil B. Moore Avenue) to Berks Street.